A Black Isle Studios Website has popped up, sporting an image stating: "Our goal has always been to make the word's best RPGs. Black Isle Studios is back." The idea that the studio behind Fallout and Planescape: Torment is returning is certainly appealing, but of course almost eight years has passed since Interplay shut the studio down, and true to that, Kotaku notes a tweet by former Black Isle mainstay Chris Avellone confirms that Interplay is getting the band back together in name only: "I know nothing about the Black Isle Studio news announcement, doesn't involve me or Obsidian... or well, anyone that I know. ;)" NeoGAF points out the revived company's Facebook Page and Twitter feed are also now live.

Ozmodan wrote on Aug 22, 2012, 16:59:None of the original people so who cares? They would be better off naming the company something new instead of saddling them with expectations from people long gone.

I think you are missing the point of why Interplay kept the name.Interplay putting "Black Isle Studios is back" on the webpage should point you in the direction of the reason. Hint: They WANT people to be pulled in by the very name.

Prez wrote on Aug 22, 2012, 14:03:Just like in the case of Blizzard nowadays, the name means nothing. It's who is behind it. I'll wait for the original Black Isle developers to release some kickstarter projects.

I think your 'solution' is just as ignorant as your complaint...

What I mean is... Even if you got 'the whole team' back together to make something, doesn't mean what they put it isn't going to be shit...

Explained another way, it's just fixating, or minimalizing other important contributors, such as timing, funding, the market in general, the weather, etc...

Plus, you're really just saying the name of a developer/celebrity matters, which is precisely what you're saying doesn't... I'm a big Edward Norton fan, for example, but he has some (recent) crappy movies, and his personal performance is substandard...

-Alamar

I read and re-read your reply three times and - not trying to be a dick here - I haven't got a clue what you are talking about. The only thing that made sense was the extremely self-evident concept that a new game might not necessarily be as awesome. Well duh!

I'm betting I have an infinitely better chance of seeing a REAL follow-up to the original Planescape or Fallout games via kickstarter. That's it.

“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.” - Mahatma Gandhi

Acleacius wrote on Aug 22, 2012, 23:42:Sadly, sort of doubt they are in debt atm after the big pay off for Fallout full rights. They are probably going to try hire a big name or two, then try to kickstart.

If I heard correctly, the payoff was in the low seven figures. That would last a few weeks of AAA game development.

I don't think Interplay has the money necessary to create an RPG, letalone a good one. Fallout Online is vaporware and the publisher is still in significant debt. Also, everyone who made Interplay great back in the 90's is gone. Interplay might as well die now.

jdreyer wrote on Aug 22, 2012, 18:47:Whoa, whoa, WHOA. Hold on there a sec. Molyneux has recently given us one of the greatest RPGs ever made in the history of gaming: Fable III. I dare you to name a better RPG. DARE YOU.

Yakubs wrote on Aug 22, 2012, 16:21:In the video game industry, history shows that past performance is not indicative of future performance. High profile examples include Richard Garriot, Warren Spector, Molyneux...

Whoa, whoa, WHOA. Hold on there a sec. Molyneux has recently given us one of the greatest RPGs ever made in the history of gaming: Fable III. I dare you to name a better RPG. DARE YOU.

Yakubs wrote on Aug 22, 2012, 16:21:In the video game industry, history shows that past performance is not indicative of future performance. High profile examples include Richard Garriot, Warren Spector, Molyneux...

Whoa, whoa, WHOA. Hold on there a sec. Molyneux has recently given us one of the greatest RPGs ever made in the history of gaming: Fable III. I dare you to name a better RPG. DARE YOU.

Ray Ban wrote on Aug 22, 2012, 17:01:Let's not forget how difficult it is to secure funding for the kind of games we (hardcore, veterans, jaded seen-it-all) would like to play ...

That's a topic Warren Spector unintentionally hit on in the 45 minute Deus Ex Replay commentary/interview he did a few days ago.

He had to answer to no one for Deus Ex, he had entire creative control, and the funding to do it. He said his job then, besides telling Eidos to screw off because John Romero was taking the heat for the finances at Ion Storm, was: maintaining the core 'logical realworld decision making' that he wanted the game centered around, and keeping the programmers and artists from killing each other.

He even ignored the focus groups for the game. He ignores the focus groups for all his games, apparently, and doesn't read reviews (does see the metacritic score), but only observes how people play without aiding them in any way so as to refine the gameplay and levels. And can't remember how to play any of his games.

It's incredible we ever got Deus Ex the way it was. Ion Storm was a fluke, but Kickstarter has the essence of that fluke in that the developers don't have to answer to overbearing publishers with tight pursestrings.

Eidos wanted the stealth elements ripped out of Deus Ex entirely, was another example, since by Spector's own estimation only 20% of gamers were going to play it that way. He ignored them on that too, because he had that privilege. Started a pacifistic movement within Deus Ex that even got it down to a core value in the DE:HR development. A mechanic the publisher wanted tossed.

Yakubs wrote on Aug 22, 2012, 16:21:Unfortunately, Alamar kind of hit the nail on the head. In the video game industry, history shows that past performance is not indicative of future performance. High profile examples include Richard Garriot, Warren Spector, Molyneux... But even these great Black Isle developers -- what have they done recently? Avellone has put out some interesting games but let's be real, most of them are not up to par with his older titles. Similar with the other guys.

There are just too many external factors to assume that the same team will continue to produce the same quality.

The talent is dispersed, it's watered down, just BioWare now. Alamar completely missed the point that he(/she) responded to, and that's that the name is important to us. The point that was being MADE was that the name alone means nothing. Your example of Molyneaux actually proves it. With the Bullfrog team, Molyneaux made superb games. When he left Bullfrog, he started making horrifyingly overhyped games.

I grew up LOVING Interplay and later BioWare and Black Isle. Those names mean nothing to me now, because they aren't what they used to be, and THAT is the point, and THAT is why what this crap-ass company is doing is offensive (and that's also the point that Alamar is completely missing).

Yakubs wrote on Aug 22, 2012, 16:21:Unfortunately, Alamar kind of hit the nail on the head. In the video game industry, history shows that past performance is not indicative of future performance. High profile examples include Richard Garriot, Warren Spector, Molyneux... But even these great Black Isle developers -- what have they done recently? Avellone has put out some interesting games but let's be real, most of them are not up to par with his older titles. Similar with the other guys.

Let's not forget how difficult it is to secure funding for the kind of games we (hardcore, veterans, jaded seen-it-all) would like to play ...

I hope Chris can make something great with his eventual Kickstarter project.

Unfortunately, Alamar kind of hit the nail on the head. In the video game industry, history shows that past performance is not indicative of future performance. High profile examples include Richard Garriot, Warren Spector, Molyneux... But even these great Black Isle developers -- what have they done recently? Avellone has put out some interesting games but let's be real, most of them are not up to par with his older titles. Similar with the other guys.

There are just too many external factors to assume that the same team will continue to produce the same quality.